Ch. 7: Introducing Inspector Gadget Pt. 1

Previously on Inspector Gadget: Body of Steel

"Do you have any questions before we move you?" Jay asked.

"No. But if what you're offering is as good as it sounds, I want a chance to do more with my life than spend the rest of it in a wheelchair."

"Alright, we're going to put you under right now. Time is of the essence," said Taylor and adjusted the flow of a sedative. "When you wake up you'll be a new man."

Justice was about to get an upgrade.

POWER ON

START UP

SYSTEM INITIALIZING…

CONFIGURE SYSTEMS…

LOAD PROGRAMS…

COMMAND SYSTEM CHECK

BIO SUPPORT SYS. CHECK

NEURAL INTERFACE CHECK

RAM CHECK

MEMORY SET

PARAMETERS SET

SYSTEM BUFFERS ONLINE

LIFE SUPPORT ONLINE

RUNNING DIAGNOSTIC…

SYSTEM EFFICIENCY: 100%

SYSTEM STATUS: OK

SYSTEM ACTIVATED_

My eyes opened slowly. They felt like they were being held down by a ton of steel. When I did manage to open them I was startled to say the least. My memory was hazy and I didn't know where I was. I was in a clinical environment though as the room smelled of disinfectant and had white walls. But what startled me the most was that my vision now resembled a Heads Up Display like the one from the Iron Man movies. I attempted to get out of the bed but fell over the moment my feet touched the floor. I got back up a bit unsteady at first but growing in confidence every second. I stumbled over to a mirror to look at my appearance. Everything about me looked normal enough. I had a normal sense of feel and there were no abnormalities that immediately sprang out at me. Of course, that was before I noticed the soft blue glow coming from the center of my chest.

I removed my shirt and looked at the source of the light. It was a disc that was translucent, looked like a type of computer circuit, and had a prominent fancy script 'G' in silver on the surface. What the hell was it? The nearest analogy that came to mind was the arc reactor from Iron Man. But that was ridiculous. It was a fictional piece of technology. So it was something else, but what? There was a mirror in the room and I walked over to it. Yep, I still looked like myself. Same features right down to the rather thin and barely noticeable mustache that adorned my upper lip. But my skin looked a little too perfect, too healthy. And then there was the arc reactor in my chest. Should I be looking a red and gold suit right about now? Before I could investigate further the door to the room opened and a woman with tanned skin and brown hair walked in.

"Officer Harder, you're awake," she said with a smile.

"Do I know you? Because you seem familiar but I can't seem to remember anything."

"Well that's to be expected. You were in an explosion seventy-five days ago and you suffered rather severe trauma. When you woke up it was a miracle you remembered anything. I approached you with an offer to save your life and you accepted. As to who I am, I'm Dr. Taylor Ramirez. You're in a recovery room made specifically for you while in Archangel Tower. But now that you're awake and undoubtedly have questions, I'll be happy to answer them if you'll come with me."

"I do have some questions that I want answered," I admitted as I followed the doctor to her office which she shared with Jay.

"Well my associate and I will do our best to answer them. It's fortunate, though, that you have already learned how to walk again as we need you on the street as soon as possible. We'll give you an overview of what you're capable of now and a brief of how to use your new functions. The rest you'll have to learn on the job. I wish we had more time but I have orders to see to it you're on duty as soon as possible."

"What's the rush?"

"New Detroit. It's been a dream of Mr. King's for years now and it looks like it's finally going to become reality. But the prototype for the CB 320, the drone that was originally going to police the city before I got approval for the Gadget Project, had a fatal glitch. It resulted in a setback and Archangel needs a cyber-police man to stay on schedule or risk losing the New Detroit contract."

"I guess that makes sense," I admitted as we walked into her office.

There were two desks in there, one being rather neat and organized and the other being messy but still somehow maintaining a sense of order. This desk was occupied by a man who seemed familiar. He had rather distinctive features as well, such as a wild mane of hair that could have been the picture next to the dictionary entry of 'organized chaos' and a thin and short beard that looked unkempt.

"You may or may not remember Dr. Powell here," explained Taylor. "He's the other side of the coin so to say. We designed the Gadget Project together and it was largely thanks to him that the most important piece of the project became reality."

"And what is that piece?"

"The piece Dr. Ramirez is talking about is the Neural Impulse Digitizer," Jay answered. "It's the cornerstone of the entire project and that circle of light in your chest. Without it your new body doesn't work. It makes it possible for the CPU to understand your brain's commands by digitizing the neural signals."

As Jay explained the NID he pulled up a schematic of it on his computer and turned the monitor around so I could see.

"Now, as we told you before you underwent the procedure you would wake up with an entirely new body," continued Taylor. "Your new body has numerous devices built in to help you fight the rampant crime that plagues this city. We'll take you for some training and to learn how to use your gadgets at the police training grounds later today after we do a check up to make sure that everything is functioning as it should be."

"But what about my memory? I still can't recall anything before waking up," I asked

"Just give yourself some time, it'll return shortly," assured Jay.

"You sure?"

"Of course, we didn't blank your memory."

"All right, I'll take your word for it. What do we do now?"

"Well, now we give you your new wardrobe," answered Taylor as she walked over to a tall cabinet.

"Ok, it had better just not be ridiculous."

"That kind of depends on your definition of ridiculous."

"What do you-? Oh. Please tell me you're joking," I groaned as she opened the cabinet.

Inside was a trench coat, black dress pants, blue dress shirt, black vest, burgundy tie, and an old fashioned brown fedora.

"What's wrong?" asked Jay with the hint of a smirk playing on the corners of his mouth.

"What's wrong? Do the words '1930's stereotype' mean anything to you? Now, don't get me wrong, I love the coat but do I really have to wear the hat? I mean the first thing that comes to my mind when I see one of those is Indiana Jones followed very closely by Dick Tracy. Who was your fashion advisor for this?"

"Every article of clothing here is designed to protect you. The shirt and vest are threaded with a new bullet proof material derived from spider silk and the coat is lined with an unstable weave that absorbs impact. Plus everything has been designed to work with the gadgets that are in your body now," explained Taylor.

"Does that mean that there are hidden panels in here?"

"In a sense. You see, the other cornerstone of your design is that your more fantastical gadgets are made possible by nanites."

"Nanites?"

"Microscopic robots," Jay said.

"I know what they are. I watch science fiction shows like Doctor Who. But you're saying that they're science fact now and they make some of my new… instruments possible?"

"Exactly!"

"What kind of devices specifically?"

"Well, the one that comes immediately to mind is the helicopter hat…"

"What? There's a helicopter in the hat?"

"The nanites are programed to produce one fully functional helicopter blade with a steering unit among other things," replied Taylor as she watched my face with amusement dancing in her eyes. "They also are responsible for the panels that will appear in your clothes when you use a gadget that's built into you like the forearm electric cannon or grappling hook."

"What else is going to be popping out of my body besides a helicopter?"

"There's a lot. It's all here on this tablet."

"There are thirty-thousand pages on this thing," I commented.

"Well there's a lot you need to know," Jay smiled as though he was taking some minor enjoyment from my suffering.

"No kidding, how am I gonna read all this?"

"Like I said, you'll have to do most of your learning on the job. But for right now all you really need to know are the basic weapons and defense system. You'll also need this before you go on duty," Taylor reminded me and took a long box out of the cabinet and gave it to me.

I opened the box and found a long barreled high tech looking gun with extra ammo magazines. I was no stranger to firearms and their weight but this piece seemed rather light to me as I picked it up.

"It's an A-2 Auto Gun, capable of automatic firing and it can also fire one or two bullets per pull of the trigger depending on the setting. The last thing you need to know about is already at Metro South. I'd say it's as important as you are."

"When do we leave then?"

"As soon as you put on your new outfit," Jay smirked.

My face fell. "Seriously, do I really have to wear the hat?"

A/N: The Inspector is more or less ready for action! To find out what his first day on the job is like post a review. Now if you'll excuse me, Gadget is training a laser target on my forehead. I'll see you hopefully again next week.